2013/1/30 - Rite Aid Offering Customers Heart Healthy Help During American Heart Month

As the No. 1 killer of women nationwide, cardiovascular disease affects more than one in three adults. But the story doesn't have to end there—the American Heart Association (AHA) estimates that 80 percent of heart disease and stroke cases can be prevented. Rite Aid is proud to again be a national supporter of the Go Red For Women® movement, now celebrating its 10th year of encouraging public awareness of heart disease in women and promoting life-saving actions.

"In many cases, the path to a healthier heart begins with just a few simple lifestyle changes," said Robert Thompson, Rite Aid's executive vice president of pharmacy. "Rite Aid's free 12-page Heart Health guide was developed with the American Heart Association and is a great first step on the path to better heart health. With the help and support of Rite Aid pharmacists, our customers can commit to and achieve their heart health goals all year long."

As one of the most accessible health care providers, Rite Aid pharmacists are available to counsel on prescription and over-the-counter medications any time of night or day. Rite Aid pharmacists often counsel on heart health topics including how vitamins and supplements such as fish oil can promote heart health.

To encourage customers to get heart healthy, Rite Aid pharmacists have the tools they need including:

• Free 12-page, full-color Heart Health guides – Available at Rite Aid pharmacy counters nationwide in February and beyond, these guides were developed with the American Heart Association to help customers learn the risks of heart disease, take control of these risks and overcome obstacles to decreasing those risks by making healthy lifestyle changes. The guide is also online all year long along with heart healthy tools at www.riteaid.com/heart.
• Free Rite Care Prescription Advisor Reports – Available all year long to Rite Aid patients interested in seeing how well they're doing taking prescribed medications that must be taken on a regular basis. These personalized reports help patients better understand and improve their medication compliance.
• Free blood pressure readings – Customers can ask any Rite Aid pharmacist for a complimentary reading and help understanding their results. Pharmacists can also recommend a good home blood pressure monitoring device.

At Rite Aid, a Red Dress Can Help Save Lives

Rite Aid has long been committed to supporting the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women® movement by selling red paper dress icons at Rite Aid registers each February. In exchange for a $1 donation, customers can sign a dress and proudly show their passion for saving lives and raising awareness for the issue of women and heart disease. As a long-time supporter of Go Red For Women®, Rite Aid has raised nearly $2 million for the American Heart Association.

Rite Aid's focus on helping customers adopt a heart-healthy lifestyle is part of its rotating focus on consumer health topics commonly discussed with Rite Aid pharmacists. Other topics featured during the year include allergies, skin care, healthy weight and wellness+ for diabetes, an extension of Rite Aid's free customer loyalty program wellness+.

Rite Aid Corporation is one of the nation’s leading drugstore chains with more than 4,600 stores in 31 states and the District of Columbia and fiscal 2012 annual revenues of $26.1 billion. Information about Rite Aid, including corporate background and press releases, is available through the company’s website at www.riteaid.com.

Rite Aid Corporation
Eric Harkreader, 717-975-5713
eharkreader@riteaid.com